


And Where They Make a Wilderness

by Avatar_Vyakara



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark Magic, Diplomacy, Dragons, Gen, Primal Magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:07:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21573496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avatar_Vyakara/pseuds/Avatar_Vyakara
Summary: Maybe Amaya kept this puppy around for entertainment value, then. Or perhaps because she liked lapping up the boy's adoration. She didn't need a voice, not really, even Viren could understand KSL and he wasn't even a native Katolitan, but he'd seen the emotion Gren always put in when he translated. The Commander became a completely different person--talking how he imagined the woman he admired would talk, trying to be more like her even when they were nothing alike. He'd be surprised if Amaya hadn't noticed it and was taking advantage of it for the look on people's faces. Or maybe she hadn't yet; she'd never really cared what anyone but her sister thought about her, never tried to find ways to work with people, just expected orders to be followed.Not that this youngster would care about that.
Relationships: Avizandum/Zubeia (The Dragon Prince), Callum/Rayla (The Dragon Prince), Opeli & Viren (The Dragon Prince), Runaan/Tinker | Necklace Elf (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 25
Kudos: 52





	1. By Inspection and Delay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soren and Claudia (Care protect them and Courage guide them) were on occasion daft as camel-hair brushes, and Callum and Ezran--well, Callum had never trusted him completely (and now never would), and Ezran lived in a dream world of hide-and-seek and jelly tarts. But every single one of the children in Viren's life were at the very least respectful. This little upstart, on the other hand, was not, not in the slightest.  
> Maybe he could use that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the first bit's basically just a retelling of parts of "Breaking the Seal," Episode 5 of Season 2. But it does diverge.

_The Hall of the Pentarchy_

_1000 AE (After the Exile)_

“May I say, on behalf of all the kingdoms, that we were deeply saddened to hear of King Harrow’s passing,” said Ahling. Viren couldn’t always tell whose soul was telling him what anymore, but he could still feel everything they did. And the king’s words ran true. So did the feelings of Fareeda and Florian behind him.

 _Respect_ , grunted the wolves. _Pack leader to pack leader._

”Thank you, King Ahling,” Viren replied, patting his hand to his chest in a Katolitan salute. “That...means a lot.” And he was surprised to find that it did.

”But we were reassured,” the king went on, putting his arm on the High Mage's shoulder, “when we received the scroll informing us that _you_ would be the Regent of Katolis until Ezran comes of age.”

_Or until it is clear that he never will._

”It is humbling to be trusted with the boy's education and training,” said Viren, adding for his own benefit as much as anyone’s, “as well as decisions of state.” He looked around. “And speaking of regrets...it seems we are only waiting on the Regent of Duren?”

And indeed there were footsteps coming from the Durenite side of the pavilion.

Lanta can be trusted, Viren thought to himself. The Duchess of Lahavah could never be queen, not unless she married Aanya--and that thought made Viren feel briefly unwell, given there was twenty years between them. But she was capable and jealous and would love a chance to seize power for herself. Durenites were strange like that; a rowdy bunch, rowdier than the Dellings, hotter-headed than Neolandians, and as committed to Dignity and Justice and Radiance as if no other Paragon existed. But Lanta had been capable, from the reports his butterflies had found.

He hadn't quite gotten the kinks worked out yet, and the Magma Titan was acting up again, but that could be managed so as long as he didn't have to see--

"I apologize for my lateness."

\-- _her_.

A child, a real child, maybe Ezran's age and sitting on the throne.

"Queen Aanya of Duren!" exclaimed Ahling, sounding as surprised as Viren felt. "Hah, how you've grown! Welcome!" The bow that he gave--that they all gave--was deeper than the one accorded to Viren, even at the mention of Harrow's passing.

 _Probably so she can actually tell they're bowing_ , muttered a small voice that Viren was _almost_ certain was his own. Sounded huskier than usual, though.

 _HER?_ The Magma Titan was being particularly annoying. Viren would have to Consume more butterflies later to dampen its spirit down. Ugh, the headaches you get from other people's heads...

It was all he could do to hold a stilted smile as instinct battled shock and just the tiniest hint of envy.

"Hmm," he said, approaching the...Queen? Really? Argh, who wrote _that_ into the rulebooks? "We are here to discuss some rather weighty matters, will your Regent be joining us soon?" _So I can understand just how far Lanta's extended this pup's leash, and recalibrate._

Aanya did not look impressed. He hadn't intended her to. "I speak for myself now," she retorted, quietly, that honeyed voice sounding as hauntingly familiar as Queen Annika's had been. "And for my people."

 _MURDERERS' SPAWN!_ roared the Magma Titan. Viren managed to hold back the flinch. This was going to be harder than he'd thought.

"Yes...this is a very serious situation," he managed, bending down to look her over. "I...intend no offence...but these issues require an _adult_ perspective."

The child had shrugged at that, looking up at him with cold eyes, almost sad eyes. The wolves' hackles rose. The swarms buzzed. The Magma Titan laughed, delighting in the attack yet to come.

"It seems I am a crown without an adult, and you are an adult without a crown," she said, chirpily. "Let's just begin."

 _Interesting how the others start on_ her _command_ _,_ came the little husky voice.

 _KILL HER! AVENGE ME!_ came the Titan's bellow.

Viren was almost too shocked at Aanya's particularly blunt statement to move at the moment. Then he got a grip on himself. "Very well," he said, shrugging and getting into what Ahren had always called his Passion-Voice. And when he called forth his Passion-Voice, he put _all_ of himself into it. No wild animals to bother him now...

"I called us here today...because I am afraid." Oh, how afraid. "Terrified." Maybe not of what was to come, but of _how they would react_.

He threw open his map, the one made long ago in the papyrus factories of Neolandia, watched it roll across the floor. Then he threw forth light--

 _And the landscape grew_ , mountains rising and rivers flowing and the banners of the Five Kingdoms swaying in the breeze.

"After _centuries_ of fighting amongst ourselves the Five Human Kingdoms _finally_ found a balance--an Era of Peace!" Fareeda, he saw, was quick to nod. _Good, good_.

"But a new threat has arisen, to challenge all of humanity...a threat from _Xadia_."

Hold out the hand, let the light flow from their kingdoms, let it cast shadows upon the walls and close the curtains. Florian had never been good with the darker theatrical elements of magic; Ahling could at least pretend he was. Fareeda blinked and flinched just like the rest--the rest except Aanya. Sweet Mother Mercy, she was a good actress. Only when the images actually formed again on the sides of the pavilion, castles alight in the moon, did her eyes widen. _Good, good_.

"On the night of the Full Moon," droned Viren, like a storyteller back at the camp, "the Dragon Queen sent _assassins_ , Moonshadow Elves, over the border."

Forming behind Aanya's chair was just an added bonus--another test. Claudia would have pulled back, and then maybe tried to think about examining the blade. Soren would have pulled out his sword, or reached for another weapon. Callum would have jumped and started babbling. Ezran would have whimpered.

 _One raised eyebrow_.

This child was very brave, or very cynical, or both. And frankly, that worried Viren more than anything.

Okay, _then_ there was an appropriate reaction when...the female elf went by? Good grief, what a Durenite.

" _And they murdered King Harrow_."

Florian had been a bit snooty the last time they'd met, more worried about petty grievances than the fact his people were starving. Harrow had been furious, but of course had kept his counsel until later. A minor slap on the wrist in Harrow's name, then, to slash at his throat? Well, it made Viren feel better anyway.

"Now," Viren went on ominously (he _loved_ this part), "Sunfire Elves are gathering near the border. An invasion is _imminent_." The room went from pale blue to deep, dark red, dark and monstrous figures looming over everyone.

...how in the heck could the child look _bored_ with this? There weren't _any_ Mages at her court worth tuppence, especially in the illusion department.

Focus, Viren, focus on your _main_ audience...

"Even _worse_! There are reports of shadows in the clouds."

And upon the dome, peering in from above, roared a massive beast.

Viren had read once that a dragon was all the animals humans feared most in the world--the poisonous snake, the roaring cat, and the flying birds of prey. It was a _beautiful_ effect.

" _Dragons!_ Flying high above the towns of Katolis."

Oh, the barrel roll, that was a beautiful bit of illusion there. Down it came...

Fareeda next--Viren had...always had mixed feelings about Fareeda. But the Empress of the Sea was more than capable of understanding what it would mean to be sucked into a creature's mouth. Shame about that swamp-shark when she was younger, but sometimes you couldn't actually control the illusion, just...guide it on.

 _Now, what is it that_ you _fear, Viren?_ asked the husky voice again. _What images hurt_ you _the most?_

"When I close my eyes," said Viren, more or less to himself now, "I see fire raining down. Death and destruction everywhere."

He didn't need to look to know the images his mind had conjured up were of horses and riders, humans and elves, locked in a combat of flame. The world gone. _Just like them, just like when it happened_ \--

"It won't _stop_ in Katolis, they will _spread their wrath_ to _all_ the human kingdoms soon enough."

Was that child _annoyed_ now? What, had his storytelling charms been eaten at some point? He was normally _way_ better at getting through! ...at least to Soren and Claudia. On their mission to commit high treason and recover a weapon. While this one was _annoyed_.

"The time to stop Xadia," he finished, "is _now_."

And with a thrust of his hand the spell collapsed again, falling back into the map. Harrow had never been able to hide his look of wonder when Viren had done that trick.

His voice was a little hoarse now. "We _must_ stand together, to protect our common humanity. I call on you to _join_ me, to _join_ Katolis. _Fight beside each other_ , to _drive--back--this--threat_."

And the little queen finally, _finally_ , looked worried.

Time to press his advantage in one more way.

"Take your time," he said, quietly, as if speaking to Claudia or Soren (on a good day--he'd had too few good days with his son lately). "Perhaps we ought to adjourn?"

"Not yet."

Ahling could be a bit thick, sometimes. But he was capable enough to understand the situation. Even his kingdom, miles and miles of desert broken only by wadis and river valleys, could be under threat. From elves and dragons--but also from other humans. So he would put forward a statement that reflected that, all of that.

"Lord Viren," spake the Elephant Lord, "the people of Neolandia understand the common humanity that binds us. If the other kingdoms agree to act in unity, we will commit to this alliance."

Clever, that man. His troops, and those of Evenere, would have to move the furthest, through lands that were not their own. And immediately after, with a glance to _remind_ the Queen of Evenere of that particular fact--

" _Yes_ \--In _unity_ , you will have our support as well," said Queen Fareeda, following his path. But they both looked uncertain. Because they'd have to pass through their other neighbours to get there...

"King Florian?" prompted Viren.

"If we are unanimous," said the Chained King nervously, "then the Kingdom of Del Bar will join." And they _would_ be strong; Courage was _their_ paragon, up in the mountains. Mind you, Florian's chosen Paragon was rumoured to be Restraint, an odd choice for a warrior king but, well, there you have it. And his nervousness showed.

"Queen Aanya," called Viren, turning to her serious face. "What say you?"

"I am..." she looked confused, now, really? _Now_ of all times?

"Undecided," she finished firmly.

...oh, it was _that_ kind of a deal.

"'Undecided'?" asked Viren, nonplussed.

"Yes," she shot back. "It means 'I've yet to make up my mind'." Oh, and there was the head toss, he'd taught his children better than that...

And this _was_ a child on the throne. His worst nightmare, come to Duren, and being _stubborn_.

"This is why we need an adult," he said, frustrated, turning to the other kings. "A leader who can make _strong_ _choices_ for their _kingdom_." He turned back. "Everyone else here was capable of making a decision." _This is what Ezran could have been_ , he thought. _This is where I could have been turned aside, and all the good that came from Harrow through my plans--lost._

What was it with Durenites and body language? Like Evenerian shadow puppets.

"I _won't_ send my armies to face unknown danger based on a _two-minute speech_."

...darn it, Paragons _wept_ , he'd forgotten the key feature here. The others _knew_ Viren, knew they _could_ trust his word, because it had led them on safely through so many years, when the High Mage and the Servant King had been almost the Protectors of the Pentarchy together. But he hadn't gone back to Duren, hadn't spent time with this girl. Why ought he, when his own children were getting so strong and his wife had gone?

"I may be a child," Aanya continued, in a voice _just_ like one of her mothers', head sliding like a snake, "but apparently? I'm the least impulsive of us all." She chuckled. "Besides, I'd hardly call 'We'll do what everyone else does' a decision."

Damn it, Ahling, you weren't supposed to _chuckle_ at that!

"Well, she's got a fair point!" Cynical old codger.

Soren and Claudia (Care protect them and Courage guide them) were on occasion daft as camel-hair brushes, and Callum and Ezran--well, Callum had never trusted him completely (and now never would), and Ezran lived in a dream world of hide-and-seek and jelly tarts. But every single one of the children in Viren's life were at the very least respectful. This little upstart, on the other hand, was not, not in the slightest.

Maybe he could use that.

 _CRUSH HER!_ roared the Magma Titan. _GIVE ME MY VENGEANCE_ _!_

Nobody said the Magma Titan wasn't stupid, given that Viren was the one who'd actually used his body up, but, well, it was a tempting offer...

 _No_. That sounded so ridiculously like Harrow that Viren stopped in his tracks. _She's a child. The child of the women who died trying to save their kingdom, their subjects, their daughter. You can't_ hurt _her, Viren. I won't let you._

 _I don't_ have _to hurt her,_ thought Viren, fiercely, _not if she just listens_ _._

_Then let her listen._

He sighed, and put his head in his hand.

And thought of a better way.

_Don't flatter her. Don't insult her. Talk to her like you would talk to Harrow, or Claudia, or Soren, back in the days before the assassins came._

"Perhaps," he admitted, "I was rash in my words. I apologize."

Silence. Those golden eyes, testing him.

"You are a young queen," he went on, "but..." he chuckled. "But despite that, I should not have spoken so. We are equals here, leaders all. Even us, Aanya. The adult without a crown, and the crown without an adult."

Curiousity in the eyes. A very slight smile.

 _You didn't bow to her before_ , said Harrow's voice. _You need not serve when you bow._ _You show your willingness to work together. Repair that, Viren._

Though every muscle screamed in protest, though the Magma Titan howled with rage, Viren bowed.

"It has been many years since I travelled to Duren," he said, "but I have heard much of what was happening there, over the years."

"Yes. Usurpers, coups, conspiracies, and assassinations," said Aanya. "And I have survived them all."

"Of course, you did have help," said Viren, "given that the Usurpation of Dipali happened when you were only two years old."

Her eyes flared at that. "There have been a _great many others_ ," she hissed, looking him in the eye. "But the hard threats? They do not come close to the danger of the soft threats. Sweet words," she said, bitingly, "can be more dangerous than a dagger."

And then Ahling _had_ to chuckle at that. "I must remind my eldest son of that sometime," he said. "Always been a fighter, never gives enough time to other things. Maybe it'd be worth teaching him..." Another chuckle. "Maybe I can use it to get him to eat his vegetables..."

Paragons _wept_ , it was like washerwomen gossiping by a well. Viren rolled his eyes--and managed to catch Aanya doing so too.

 _Hmm_.

"This _threat_ , hard or soft, is real, Queen Aanya," he said, quietly. "I lost-- _Katolis_ lost her king to the Moonshadow Elves, come to take vengeance for the death of their own king. Their king in turn plagued us all for three hundred years. Anyone who came too close to the breach was burnt to a crisp, or hit hard enough with lightning that their energy gave out altogether. And for ridding us of that threat, King Harrow paid the ultimate price--the loss of his life, the orphaning of his children." He paused. "And he's not the first to fall to Xadia among our number," he added, gently.

"You _dare_ speak about my mothers?"

"I knew them," said Viren. "Perhaps not well enough, but I fought side-by side with them, against a Magma Titan."

"I know the story," snapped Aanya. Her hands automatically went to the flower locket Durenite queens had carried for centuries.

"Then you know that the saving of Duren and Katolis took many parts," said the High Mage. "The Border needed to be crossed--easy enough, with the Breach on Katolis' side. The monster needed to be killed--that was given to everyone. Then it needed to be brought back, and the spell cast upon the land to rid us of the years of famine that would have followed.

"Oh, there were those who were opposed to the idea, at least to start with. When your mothers, Queens Annika and Neha, came to Katolis in a last desperate plea for help, after seven years of disregard from the lands around them, King Harrow gave them food from our own stores, letting some of _our_ people starve so that some of _your_ people might survive. That decision...haunted him. The Servant King, taking from his people because of a Justice in his own head."

_"We will share whatever we have with them, and we will share in their suffering."_

"When I came to him, later, with my plan to destroy the monster and warm our lands--to allow Duren to once again become the Queendom of Bread and Wine once again--he was cautioned by his queen, Sarai."

_"I know it seems like this will solve things, but--isn't it a little too easy? That's always the way with Dark Magic."_

_"What choice do we have?"_

_"There's no monster you can slay and solve all your problems! There's no shortcut! This is going to be a very slippery slope! Harrow,_ _tell me you won't do this!"_

_"It's our only chance."_

"But, in the end...she came with us. Not because she believed in what they needed to do--but because she believed in Harrow."

_"I thought you disapproved." Harrow had been surprised._

_"I disagree," said Sarai. "But...I stand by you anyway."_

"She saved us, King Harrow and me and the soldiers who came with us to take the body. She...she died, because of Thunder. And I was there when she took her last breath."

_Dying._

_Viren hadn't hated Sarai, not really. She had kept him from Harrow, to be sure, but that wasn't reason enough. Not reason enough for her to die._

_He knelt down, muttering a spell briefly._

_"I promise," he said. "We'll avenge you. Harrow will avenge you."_

_And she looked at him in alarm, had tried to speak--_

_And her breath, her last breath, flew out into the air..._

"When we worked together, we managed to save both our kingdoms," said Viren. "Your mothers fought well, rode well...loved well. They loved you more than anything. Their battle cry, facing down the most terrible foes in the world, was 'For Aanya'. They gave their lives so that you could live a better one."

And now she was truly miserable. Viren almost felt bad. The Magma Titan was feeling smug again, though, which made keeping a straight face a little bit difficult.

Where was Harrow when he needed him?

_The baby left alone, motherless and surrounded by power-hungry courtiers. We should have cared. We should have done something, brought her to Katolis to be safe growing up. No child should be this hard, this cold._

_Thank_ you, Harrow or whoever you are, more guilt. Lovely.

"But that's not what I ask of you now," he said.

She looked up at that, and for the first time Viren saw the tiniest spark of surprise in her eyes. "What?"

"Queen Aanya," said Viren, "we are in the Hall of the Pentarchy, the centre of all human governance. And this is your first meeting here. Did you know that for the longest time, there were set rules about who could be present in these halls? Only fifty years ago, in the time of King Ezran's great-grandfather, were others allowed to join. Regents and consorts took a stand beside"--he gestured to where he was to stand--and children sat in front." Now a sweep to the floor in front of her throne. "There are protocols that we follow here, ones that you are expected to know." He looked curiously at her. "Were you taught them?"

Aanya raised an eyebrow again. _Yep, just like her mother_. "There are a great many things I have learned in preparation for this day, _Lord_ Viren. Including protocol."

"But not the finer matters, then. Not the things that go _beyond_ protocol."

"And what does that mean, exactly?" said Aanya.

"That there are words spoken at this council that only touch the surface of how people think, because giving away too much is a danger even for Kings and Queens," said Viren. "And that there are many ways to fight a war, and a great deal do not involve fighting at all."


	2. Even Worse than War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was a personality behind the mask--cunning, maybe smart; pragmatic, maybe sociopathic; passionate, maybe caring or maybe deranged. But Aanya felt like she was staring into a storm. When he spoke kindly, his words rang true--but there was some hint of other presences, darker and angrier, and whether the Dark Mage spoke pleasantly or obnoxiously (ugh, put a man in charge of a kingdom and what do you expect? That's what her Aunt Lanta would say) the other voices would bellow and shriek and buzz just beyond the edge of her hearing. Once, when he spoke about her mothers' deaths, so kindly, so sympathetically, she could hear something like a volcano roaring in angry triumph.
> 
> How much was him, and how much was the monsters, egging him on? You could never be sure with Dark Mages.

It was like there was nobody else in the room besides them. And yet there were too many people there.

Aanya had been warned about Lord Viren most of all by her spies. Too close to the King of Katolis, they said, too linked with his every move, maybe controlling his every move. A fork-tongued fire-snake, bandying bright words and creating threatening displays, hiding a secret poison inside for when he got too close to you.

And now he was in charge of a kingdom, while a boy her age--a boy spoiled rotten by a father who'd been the only one alive of four rulers when they went on Viren's wild monster chase--was under his care. It felt so very... _wrong_.

But the worst part was that he didn't feel like he was altogether there, somehow.

Oh, his body was there. And there was a personality behind the mask--cunning, maybe smart; pragmatic, maybe sociopathic; passionate, maybe caring or maybe deranged. But Aanya felt like she was staring into a storm. When he spoke kindly, his words rang true--but there was some hint of other presences, darker and angrier, and whether the Dark Mage spoke pleasantly or obnoxiously (ugh, put a man in charge of a kingdom and what do you expect? That's what her Aunt Lanta would say) the other voices would bellow and shriek and buzz just beyond the edge of her hearing. Once, when he spoke about her mothers' deaths, so kindly, so sympathetically, she could hear something like a volcano roaring in angry triumph.

How much was him, and how much was the monsters, egging him on? You could never be sure with Dark Mages.

But then he had to go and say _that_.

"The people of Duren do not condone Dark Magic in our armies, nor do we permit Dark Mages within our borders," she said, coldly and collectedly, as Danuhepa had taught her.

"Yes. I know," said Lord Viren. Ah, a touch of _his_ anger there, was it? She was almost certain. "But...that's not what I meant."

She looked him square in the eye, raising an eyebrow carefully. It had worked very well in the past; few people expected a child to have mastered facial expressions meant for people much older. It put them off a bit. In Duren she was called _Dignitatiar_ _Suprema_ , the Highest Exemplar of Dignity. She liked that title.

"Go on," she said.

Some sort of...buzzing? In her mind's ear she heard a great swarm of bees, but doing what she couldn't say.

 _Lord_ Viren looked around at her fellow monarchs. "Then...it seems I must move forward beyond protocol, and reveal something of the minds of others," he said, and then added hastily, "as far as I can tell, of course."

Hmm. Well, she didn't _think_ he could read minds...she imagined herself sticking her tongue out at him, just in case.

The Dark Mage coughed. Or was it a laugh? Or a growl?

"Queen Aanya, you need nobody to tell you that Duren's greatest strength and most dangerous weakness is in its bounty," he said. "Your queendom is the oldest existing nation in the world, founded just before the Exile that mars our collective history. There are other features that mark Duren's power--your devotion to Justice, Dignity, and Radiance is unparalleled across the Pentarchy. But above all, the thing most sought from other lands is your harvest, your grain and grape, fruit and cattle. In times of war others have coveted it; in times of peace, as we have had for many a year before, it is your prime export.

"Now, I ask of you: what can you tell me of the other kingdoms?"

 _Still_ he thought so little of her.

"Regardless of my age, this is _not_ a schoolhouse, _Lord_ Viren," she snapped.

"Oh, I think of myself as a student still, _Queen_ Aanya," he replied, and there was a sound like a braying trumpet. But surely he wouldn't have _dared_... "But as we have broken tradition and revealed some actual _fact_ about Duren's position in the world--something that in previous years would be deemed too common knowledge to relay--it is worth seeing what the other kingdoms have at their core." He paused. "I'll tell you what, Your Highness. This is your first time at the Council of the Pentarchy. I will supply the weakness in each kingdom--including my own--if you first tell me their strength."

Oh, this one was _clever_. Feeding her ego, making her look better in front of the assembled monarchs of the world--and yet drawing her into a game, making her into a child when he should be cowed by her power. Was she not warned?

But it was just a harmless game...

"The strength of Evenere is in their ships," she said, looking at Queen Fareeda. "They guard the great island, run across all the waterways of the Pentarchy. They have all manner of weapons aboard that can only be used on the water--fire that burns on the water. Their cities use canals instead of roads. They have travelled further than any human ever has, since the Great Arrival."

Queen Fareeda smiled at that.

"And yet the strength of Evenere is also its weakness," said Lord Viren. "There are plenty of trees to fell for wood, but the soil is thinner and less prosperous. Evenere has the smallest army among the Five Kingdoms, and most of it is dedicated to the protection of their island, a wooden wall.

"So if Evenere is to fight in the coming war, Your Highness, they need to turn that weakness into a new strength. Their armies might march, but they must first protect the seas. Evenerian fire can burn ships, and Seadance elves and Ocean dragons as well. There are many places in Xadia that are more quickly reached by water. Evenere would be the swift steed that carries us there."

Queen Fareeda had looked worried, even affronted, but then she'd settled down. Had she been thinking the same? Had she known? Perhaps she was more capable than Aanya had first thought.

"The next closest--Del Bar. Where does its strength lie?"

"Del Bar makes the best weapons of any human kingdom," Aanya replied, easily. King Florian puffed himself up at the praise, of course he did. "Their iron ore is flawless, their copper incredible. And they make double-steel--they are the only kingdom that knows how."

"But even double-steel, as powerful as it is, would fall against a Sunforged blade," said Lord Viren, darkly. "The protector of The Breach of Katolis"--as though because Katolis was the only land that had a passage to Xadia they were somehow more important--"King Ezran's aunt, General Amaya, bears a shield of the stuff--a gift from King Florian to her uncle for saving his life. But even that would be sliced in half by a weapon forged in Lux Aurea. The weapons are only useful for so long."

Ah, but she knew the answer to this one. "But if they make more of them than we need..."

" _Yes_!" Great Radiance, was that a _l_ _ion_? What sort of abomination _was_ this man? "Del Bar _still_ makes the finest weapons in the human world, capable of withstanding anything but molten metal. So perhaps they would bring their armies--larger than that of Evenere, smaller than other kingdoms, and yet fiercer than any of us," he added, bowing slightly to King Florian. "But most of all, they would bring weapons. Swords and shields ten times as effective as any other kingdom could make on their own."

And King Florian had nodded slightly at that, looking braver than she'd seen him all day. Which wasn't hard.

"Neolandia breeds the best horses in the Pentarchy," Aanya said, before Lord Viren had the chance to speak. "So they would bring those to the fight."

The man actually _chuckled_ at that. "Faster and more powerful steeds nobody has ever seen. There was a time when Har-- _King_ Harrow and King Ahling got into a race, back when both of them were princes. They challenged each other to ride from the Horn of Neolandia, far to the northwest, to Katolis Castle. It took..."

Oh, great, more prattling on.

He seemed to notice, and cleared his throat. There was _definitely_ a growl hidden in there this time. "But yes. Neolandia would supply horses. But they would need them first and foremost. They are a desert kingdom, the oldest human civilization if not the oldest country, and it's a desert that takes a great deal of time to cross. And their oasis and river towns, prosperous though they may be, are also isolated from one another. It will take them time to gather their armies."

"So...what's _your_ weakness, Lord Viren?"

"I _beg your pardon_?"

Elephant, lion, volcano, wasp, masses of serpents and dozens of birds. All of them turned to her at the same time, all of them _snarled_.

Somehow she kept her composure. She'd faced down bigger threats than this man, with three other people to take him if need be. She just had to keep reminding herself of that.

"What," she said, coldly, "is the weakness of Katolis? You have the largest kingdom of any of us, and the largest army. You have nearly impassable mountains in two places, well before you reach the capital. Your soldiers are better trained than any of ours, thanks to Queen Sarai and General Amaya. You have farms and weapons, and easy access to Xadia so you don't need ships. Why do you need _us_?"

Viren looked surprised at that. He held a hand out, as if to stop someone talking--and the sounds faded at last. Aanya hadn't realized she was tensed up until she felt her muscles relax.

"Katolis has a great many things that the other kingdoms of the Pentarchy does not," he finally admitted. "We have armies and weapons, farms and fields, the protection of our mountains and the Breach that allows us passage to Xadia. But...we are not invincible. For three hundred years Katolis has been the gate into and wall against the power of the East, and now all we can do is fret and worry. There is...trouble across the country, there has been since the death of King Harrow." Were the growls somehow sadder now? Like a golden tiger, snuffling quietly at the death of a mate or a cub. "Katolis _could_ turn its anger back at Xadia, make them understand that their actions went too far. But it needs help, now, it needs a reminder of its purpose in the world: to protect humanity from the onslaught of elves and dragons."

"All this has happened because _you_ and King Harrow cut down the Dragon King," said Aanya, smirking. "This _danger_ is an outcome that you wanted for yourself."

...but why was the volcano _laughing_ at that? Why did the eagles screech triumphantly?

Then she saw the faces of the other monarchs. King Florian looked shocked. King Ahling looked stony and grim. Queen Fareeda looked angry.

And Lord Viren looked like a tiger on the hunt. And for the first time, Aanya was afraid.

"Queen Aanya," he said, and the serpents hissed. "I ask you this: _have you forgotten who Thunder was_?"

"No," she managed, hoping some of her Fire made it into her voice.

"Because I can assure you I have not. Thunder was a problem bigger than the attacks that now begin to cross our Border. For three hundred years, Thunder was _guardian_ of that Border. Just as before, the nations of humanity--not as prosperous and plentiful as Duren, of course--were denied things that could have made life easier for them. They could have healed the dying, could have prevented famines, could have brokered peace before wars destroyed whole nations. Even Duren came to that--or perhaps the hundred thousand people who would have died in that famine _should_ have died, if it meant keeping to this side of the border."

"I cannot repay the debt of a hundred thousand whose lives were saved by sending a million men and women to die in violence!"

" _Did you think that was what I would ask of you_?"

"Then what _is_ your plan for my people, _Lord_ Viren?" she shot back, feeling like she was edging across a wide, wide precipice.

"If Duren will not send _even one soldier_ to avenge the death of the man who saved your country, then that is your choice. But would you let the rest of humanity starve?"

"What?"

Lord Viren sighed. There was a hissing in her mind's ear, and she shuddered as if two serpents were sliding around her, constricting her.

"Queen Aanya," he said again, more calmly this time. "Duren's strength is in its harvest. In times of peace you have traded it; in times of war you have fought for it. Now the time comes again for war, but this time, Duren _need not fight_. If you will not bring your armies to aid Katolis, then..." He shrugged. "Then that is your choice. But will you refuse us if we come to your doorstep," he knelt down, and stretched out his arms, "humbling ourselves before you, asking for food to keep our soldiers alive as they stare down the worst terrors humanity has ever faced?"

There were three other rulers in the room, but now, instead of mildly annoying presences, they seemed like statues, staring and waiting for her words but no source of help, no source of vindication. Now it was her and the Dark Mage, whoever he was, _whatever_ he was. And the burden of her mothers, so long ago, upon a new back.

_If you say yes, he has beaten you. If you say no, you risk the other kingdoms turning on you._

_It's difficult to say which would be worse._

But Duren could not stand against four kingdoms at once.

Lord Viren shook his head. "These are...weighty matters," he said, tiredly. Vultures croaked. Somewhere in the dark of the mind, a woodpecker laughed, mockingly. "The monarchs of the Pentarchy cannot act apart. They must watch one another, know that their own kingdom will not be attacked if they send their forces elsewhere. If you refuse, then they will fear attack. Your _million men and women_ charging across the plains with swords in hand is what they fear, killing people helpless to resist the onslaught in spite of their strength, leaving _their_ kingdoms as burnt husks as they try to fight for the safety of their families and countries elsewhere. You are powerful. You must come to respect what that power means to people."

Aanya said nothing.

The Dark Mage stood up. There was a strange regret in his eyes. "You thought I meant you were incapable of making strong decisions because you were feeble-minded. Nothing of the sort. I thought that you were a child, too bound in their own principles to understand anything that didn't fit with how you thought. But you _know_ what Katolis is like, how you stand compared to the rest. You _know_ the strengths and weaknesses of the other four kingdoms, and how united they could become a force for _good_. You _know_ that elves and dragons, _whatever else they might be_ , have been our enemies for a millennium. And you know that we need to be as strong and as unified as they are if _ever_ we are to be free of fear."

Free of fear. That sounded...so wonderful, at the moment.

"The strong choice isn't to fight, Queen Aanya. The strong choice is to not fight against your allies, people who will protect you. Will you not even grant us that? That you will not attack your sisters and brothers while they risk _their_ lives to save yours?"

Utter silence. Not even the dark animals made a noise. And the kings and queen looked on her with... _pity_.

No matter her answer now, the damage had been done. And in the back of Aanya's mind, she somehow knew it would take something great--a long time, or a miracle--to earn back their respect. The Dark Mage had done much worse than call her a child; he had _turned_ her into one, in their eyes.

Radiance _destroy_ him.

"The people of Duren," she said, as calmly as she could, her eyes holding that last tiny spark of her Fire, "will not attack the armies or kingdoms of the Pentarchy. And if they come asking us for food, we will give what we can."

And then the world went _bright_.

“Then we are agreed!” Viren’s voice echoed like thunder, but glad thunder, singing thunder. The eagles screeched, the lion roared, the elephant trumpeted. “With all of humanity at stake, all will play the part they wish to play to save it--all will work together, their strengths combined and their weakness turned to weapons against the enemy.”

He raised his hands. And every animal she'd heard that day bellowed in unison as he shouted, "WE STAND UNITED!"

The walls sprang to life again, but this time with towering images of warriors marching out, the setting sun behind them. Katolis, Del Bar, Evenere, Neolandia. Along the walls there were images of proud horses rocketing across the plains. Double-steel swords shone golden in the light, like Sunforged blades. The great ships of the west opened sail, rushing along the coast with dolphins flying in their wake. And--Aanya's heart dropped--golden wheat and rows of maize waved around them, grapes grew from vines in rich orchards to either side. To the east lay mountains and fire. The sound of trumpets rang across the pavilion, the calls and echoes of four nations' horn-blows coordinating their movements.

And Duren's part was smallest.

The little voice at the back of her head said, _I managed that, at least._

Queen Fareeda, King Florian, King Ahling, they all looked emboldened. And Lord Viren, the Dark Mage, looked triumphant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evenerian Fire: Greek Fire, likely a distillation of coal tar mixed with quicklime, used to great effect by the Byzantines.  
> Double-Steel: wootz steel, a type of steel characterized by great strength and beautiful bands across the surface.
> 
> It's possible I was a little bit too unkind to Aanya in this setting. I do hope not. But it'd be interesting to see Viren as actually having an effect at the meeting. And, of course, there's the matter of what comes next...


	3. Viewed From A Distance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You never told me," snarled Viren.  
> "You never gave me the chance to," replied Harrow angrily, jangling his chains.  
> "There was never a chance! And there was never a choice, between you and him! Do you think the world could survive for five minutes without you, Harrow? Do you think I could have managed without you?"  
> "There was always a choice," said the King, coldly. "And my choice was that my son should live while I died in his place. Maybe that was wrong. Maybe there was another way. But this was my way, Viren. The way you knew."

The meeting had gone _spectacularly_ well after that.

Three armies, willing to march under Viren's banner. A fourth, a million strong, committed by only the lightest of persuasions to staying out of his way. Who knew, he might yet be able to convince certain factions in Duren to support their cause, regardless of the Child Queen's eventual decision. A soft "no" was better than a hard one; more often than not it led to a quiet "maybe" instead.

He'd actually been pleased to talk to Ahling again, after all was said and done. He and Harrow had been rather close, as monarchs went, sharing a boyhood passion for animals. Harrow had favoured crested hawks all his life; Ahling's preferred pet was a Sailor's Bane, a great brown and knobbly-skinned snake that was about as venomous as a cucumber but often mistaken for rope. He'd left Boyuna at home, thankfully; Viren's own internal serpents tended to get a bit edgy around their distant cousin. As they'd grown older they'd had to commit to their own kingdoms--and their families, Harrow to his wife and Ahling to his wives and husbands--but they'd kept in touch. Aside from himself and Sarai, Viren doubted if anyone had known the king better.

The last he'd seen of Aanya, she was being talked at by Queen Fareeda. The girl had looked at him with all the fury an eleven-year-old was able to muster. Viren had had worse.

It had been agreed, at least, that he would lead the armies into battle. Not Katolis--just in case, by some fluke, one or both of the princes was actually still alive after all this time--but the Dark Mage who'd called for aid in the first place. Viren had in turn all but promised Katolis' commitment, dancing around the words and planning for the coordination of resources as though Katolis' presence was taken for granted, when in fact it could work just as well with only three armies marching forth.

All in all, an _excellent_ day.

The others (besides Aanya) had relatively long journeys home, and they needed to gather their forces. Aanya had left as soon as she could as well. Viren was the last leader left at the Pavilion.

By tradition, anyone seeking refuge in the structure was permitted three nights of rest before they went on their way--the rest that neither their destination nor their point of departure would grant them. Viren was coming from Katolis and going back to Katolis, so perhaps he was due four nights instead. But no. He had armies of his own to rally, and preparations to make on the High Council. Still, one night away from the castle wouldn't hurt. He didn't mind leaving his staff for a while; the fools at the gate wouldn't be able to use it if they tried.

The Pavilion felt...strange without anyone in it. The high dome above, polished marble along the sides, great curtains swaying aimlessly in the evening breeze. The map he had carefully rolled up and put away. The great thrones stood empty. And now that nobody was around to trigger their presence, neither were the animals embedded within his soul.

Now that nobody was here...

 _No. You know better than that._ Harrow's voice had come sharp and clear in his head, clearer now than it had been before.

"It's a chair," said an exasperated Viren out loud. "A great big lump of rock. Even your own throne was more comfortable, you said, and you hated that chair."

_And yet I sat there because I had a duty._

"And so do I!" snapped Viren.

The voice went silent.

Viren sat at the foot of the seat of Katolis instead, trying to get comfortable on the floor. Spring was definitely here, and the nights were deliciously cool this far north. He could feel a breeze blowing in from the east.

_And so do I, Harrow. I have a duty to humanity. To the people of Katolis. To your memory._

But was that true?

Everything he saw, he saw through the eyes of a mage of the Seventh Path. Humanity was their flock, and the Mages their unwelcome shepherds. Katolis still distrusted them, even if they tolerated him for Harrow's sake--and for the wisdom he'd injected into Harrow's counsel along the way. And Harrow...what was Harrow now but a memory? And how clear could it be?

Viren fell asleep staring into the darkness around the stars, through the window opposite the throne of the land he had claimed as his own in so many ways.

* * *

Wisdom had changed shape.

For as long as Viren could remember, when Wisdom had appeared to him in dreams, the Paragon had always taken on the guise of some older version of himself. That was how Wisdom was supposed to be, after all: a reflection of oneself, and upon oneself.

When he had first seen his future self, as a boy of seven, Viren had been amazed at the hooded figure, dressed in finer clothes than Gauri had ever been able to afford, wearing a smile on his face that flickered to coal-black eyes and burnt skin. That was what had made him decide to become a mage, in the end; his parents had been willing to pay that price for humanity, how could he not take it up in turn?

As he'd grown older, Wisdom had taken on new forms all the time, a sort of crystal ball in the flesh. If you could argue with a crystal ball and expect it to argue back, rather eloquently if he did say so himself. The robe of an apprentice mage, the gear of a warrior (that had been a very strange time), the tunic and trousers of a Court Mage...they'd all come to make sense, in time. The forms changed anything from one day to three years before Viren actually got to that point. Quite an unreliable barometer, then.

Wisdom had only visited him once since they'd slain Thunder, wearing pure white robes of elven make and the Crown of Katolis. Viren had been...well, frankly, he'd been repulsed at the time. Harrow was hale and hearty, if a little shaken by Viren's "destroying" the Egg. And now his future was to take the Crown of Katolis from Harrow? Desert humanity and join the Elves as a puppet ruler for them? He'd raged at Wisdom all night, but to no avail. The crowned head just smiled, smugly, and the shadows around his future face had seemed deeper than ever before.

But Viren was a pragmatist. If this was his future, he'd have to make plans to get there, with as little bloodshed as possible. It was Destiny, but he was going to fight it all the way.

And now Wisdom no longer wore the robes, no longer wore the Crown.

Instead, Viren found himself looking at a mirror image of himself, properly this time. His tunic and trousers were the ones he had worn to bed, and there was no crown or even a circlet around his head. Strangely enough, his staff was missing, replaced with what looked like an ordinary branch of wood.

"Well?" he asked. "Did I finally decide to retire to the country?"

His older self rolled...his? their?...eyes and sighed. "That, as always, would be giving you too much information, Viren."

"You can't pretend today wasn't a success!" retorted the Dark Mage. "Even with that brat in the way, I managed to secure the armies of three kingdoms for the cause! Once they arrive in Katolis, the High Council will _have_ to act!"

"It's not a bad plan," said Wisdom, "but you're lacking too many details. Granted, you may have overpowered a _child_ ," his older form went on, prodding Viren with the stick, "but you didn't think everything through. What happens if you come back to Katolis and the Princes have made it back? What if Soren didn't carry out his mission?"

"Soren wouldn't betray me," said Viren, confidently.

It was always strange to see anger on his own face when he wasn't making the expression himself.

"You assume too much of the boy," snarled Wisdom.

"I wouldn't have given him the mission if I thought him incapable of killing," scoffed Viren.

"His head's more than capable of planning it," said the version of himself with a walking stick, "but did you ever once stop to consider that maybe his _heart_ wasn't? That it was a _good thing_ that it wasn't? Soren is a Crownguard, the youngest captain in history. You asked him to _pervert his duties_ , kill his charges."

"For all of humanity's sake!"

"For all of humanity's sake, Viren, would you give up Dark Magic?"

Viren recoiled. " _What_?"

"It has always pained you that Soren took a different creed," said Wisdom, sympathetically. "But how different a creed is it, really? Protecting his king? Taking joy in strategy and tactics? Have you even _seen_ what he can build, Viren, when he chooses to?"

There was a pause.

"Why did you change?" Viren asked at last.

"I didn't," said the future fast approaching. "You did."

The uncrowned head nodded over to the left. Viren turned his head.

And there was Harrow, bound in thick chains to his throne.

Viren staggered back.

"Oh, come now," said Wisdom, smoothly, as Viren had spoken to Aanya that day. "Are you truly so afraid of your anchor that you will brave a thousand storms before you come to it?"

And he thrust Viren forward. But the chair didn't seem to come any closer.

The King looked exhausted, his head bent in misery.

"...Harrow?" asked Viren cautiously.

The King sighed. "Who else would it be, Viren?" he asked, tiredly.

"But you _died_ ," said Viren. "I thought the spell would work! I was willing to trade my life for yours! But...it didn't work."

"No," said Harrow. "It didn't."

"But you shouldn't be _bound_!" exclaimed the Dark Mage. "Your soul is free, now! Free to do whatever you wanted! Why haunt _me_?"

Harrow smiled wryly. "Then you would prefer to be left alone with yourself?"

Wisdom bowed Viren's head at Harrow.

"No!" Viren was ashamed at how whiny his voice sounded at that point. He cleared his throat. "I mean...no. It's...it's been terrible, Harrow, since you've gone."

"Oh, yes," said the King In Chains. "Very terrible. My sons have escaped with the egg that you told me you destroyed, so you're sending your children to kill mine."

"Harrow, you don't understand!"

"Viren, I understood the need to kill Thunder. I now understand why you didn't destroy the egg. But why my _children_?"

"Harrow, you _left_ your children!" shouted the Dark Mage. "You had _every_ opportunity to come to me and come up with an actual _plan_ , so that Katolis wasn't left kingless and Ezran and Callum left fatherless!"

"How _dare_ you," growled Harrow.

"I _dare_ ," said Viren, "because for all of your pride you forgot the one thing you actually _should_ have cared about. You forgot about your _family_ , how they would be destroyed by your death!"

"And yet you sent your children to kill mine," repeated Harrow.

Viren groaned, frustrated. "Ezran wasn't _ready_ for the throne! He was _ten years old_ , Harrow! What was he supposed to do, appoint Opeli as regent and let Xadia strike again at us?"

"No," said Harrow. "He was to look to _you_ as Regent."

Silence in the void.

"You never told me," snarled Viren.

"You never gave me the chance to," replied Harrow angrily, jangling his chains.

"There was never a chance! And there was _never_ a choice, between you and him! Do you think the world could survive for five minutes without you, Harrow? Do you think I could have managed without you?"

"There was always a choice," said the king, coldly. "And _my_ choice was that my son should live while I died in his place. Maybe that was wrong. Maybe there was another way. But _this_ was _my_ way, Viren. The way you knew." His face softened. "And it's still not too late. You can still listen to him, understand what he says. You still can listen to _me_ , as I for so many years listened to you."

"It was _you_ ," breathed Viren. " _You_ showed me how to deal with Aanya today."

"The young are freer than the old, Viren. A child is freer than a king. But if you never had that freedom to begin with, all your life, what would you become?"

Cold with others. Impatient with others. Distrusting, calculating, sarcastic. Never regretful, rarely scared.

"I..."

"Ezran doesn't have to take up the burden yet. Another person on his council can lead the way. Or, if it's not too late, perhaps you can do something to redeem yourself to him."

"Like what, Harrow?" said Viren, wearily.

Harrow smiled. "Listen to him, Viren."

"He's a _child_."

"So were we, once."

"And as I remember, we were complete idiots," said Viren.

Harrow actually chuckled at that, wincing as the movement jangled his chains. "Yes, well, maybe that was not for the best. But we _did_ have ideas, and we _did_ think we could change the world. And in the end, Viren, we did. It just took a little time."

"So, what, I 'keep an open mind'?" said the Dark Mage, sarcastically. "Ask to advise him on matters of state? Try to persuade him not to throw me _and_ my children into the dungeon?"

"You'll think of something," said Harrow. He smiled fondly at the mage. "You always do."

The dream was starting to fade away again.

"Wait!" called Viren. "Harrow, how do I take off your chains?"

"You can't," called out the king. "But _they_ can."

"You should be free!"

"You still can be," said Harrow.

* * *

It was a quiet, introspective Viren who rode south to Katolis Castle the next morning, his white staff clicking alongside him and a phantom crown upon his forehead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boyuna: named after Boiúna, a black shape-shifting snake in Brazilian mythology.  
> Wisdom: in my version of Paragonism (first patented by the talented Spontaneite), the Paragon known as Wisdom takes on the form of a mirror image of oneself; for Dark Mages, this is often a version of their future self, whether near or far.
> 
> And back to Katolis! Next chapter, Opeli!


	4. The More Numerous The Laws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Viren, you're missing the point! You stole the King's Seal. You automatically broke the law! Even if you somehow managed, by sheer luck, to get yourself made Regent in Harrow's will, you didn't go through any of the ceremonies that made your use of it justified. You'll be kicked off the Council for this! And you'll be lucky if that's all!"  
> "Opeli, if I'd stolen the King's Seal, called myself Regent, summoned the Pentarchy to war, and done all that for nothing, then I'd have to worry," said Viren. "But I didn't. Which means either Katolis is about to go to war with Xadia, or with the rest of humanity."

_Katolis Castle_

_1000 AE (After the Exile)_

Lady Justice did her best work in the light, be it the light of day or the lamps brought out into the night. And Opeli had been dedicated to Lady Justice since she was fourteen.

The Court of Katolis had been a good place for her, at least to begin with. King Geffen, Harrow's father, had been a bit detached from the running of the kingdom, but he'd done his best, he'd had tolerated his son's strange ideas, he'd even accepted the strange young mage with a young wife and son and a baby girl all those years ago. They needed a new Priest or Priestess, one who wasn't too old that she couldn't serve the Crown Prince when his time came. And for a while she'd been happy with the arrangement; she'd given sermons on Justice and Truth and Honour, and even if the King hadn't come around that much (he'd preferred Mercy and Restraint and Dignity) Prince Harrow certainly had. And hanging on his footsteps like a loyal dog had been the young man from the Caravans.

They'd gotten along just fine at first. He had his family, and he was as utterly devoted to them as he was to Harrow. She'd been surprised to learn that his father (now dead) had been a Sapientiar, an Exemplar of Wisdom, and that he already knew a lot of the Dodecateuch by heart. His wife, Cordelia, had been chatty and pleasant, and often came by for counsel--being the wife of a court mage made her a little unpopular sometimes. The children had been delightful, bright and eager to learn. Even the famous Miasma that Dark Mages carried hadn't been strong enough to overcome the love that she could feel coming off the man--nor enough to stop them from eagerly debating every point of religion that he could find, Cordelia at his side and holding his hand and (quite often) playing peacemaker between the Priestess and the Mage.

And then Queen Sarai had died.

Everyone was hit badly by it. Harrow and Amaya and Callum had been utterly heartbroken. Cordelia had lost a confidante, Opeli one of her best friends at the castle. Ezran was too young to understand what he'd lost; Claudia and Soren had done their best to cheer everyone up. But the change that had come over Harrow's Court Mage was the most extreme, after he'd cast the spell that had saved Katolis and Duren alike. He'd managed a few steps up, standing beside Harrow in their moment of triumph--and then he'd fallen over, screaming in agony for three days straight.

The Miasma had come through, then, red and hot and angry, dulling down to a cold flame over the years. He'd become brusque with his children, snappish with his wife, quietly disgusted with the Princes. He _argued_ with her now, he didn't debate, he wasn't willing to accept any answer but his own. The only one he seemed to have any time for was Harrow, and the love there had become more blunt, more cautious. Less and less did he approach anyone for council, keeping to his own rooms unless needed, or unless going on one of his "expeditions" to Radiance knew where.

It had been too much for Cordelia. She'd come to Opeli, many nights, asking how to fix this state of affairs. Opeli had felt the Miasma pouring forth from her husband. She'd told her so. She'd told her that there were so many other choices, that she should give herself some distance from the man he'd become, that she could still go back home.

She was quite certain Viren had never forgiven her.

After that, it had gotten worse. Soren became the youngest Crownguard captain in history; he barely looked up from his research. Harrow went to him for council; his advice was (mostly) sound, but lacking that human element that Harrow personified so well, and he seemed more and more bitter when his words were discarded. It had been too much to expect him to attend confession, but then he'd...well, he'd said something to his children, and now neither bothered to darken the doorsteps of her chapel.

But he'd never broken any rules, never disregarded any of the laws.

And then the Dragon King had been destroyed, four months ago, and he'd changed again. The Miasma was stronger than ever; even the King could feel it, snapping at Viren and snarking at him in Council meetings (when the Dark Mage ever attended). And then Harrow had died, and Viren...

Viren must have gone completely insane.

But there was time. She knew about the seal, but the rest of the council didn't, not yet.

Justice guide her, she could still get him to confess. To repent, and take the punishment that the law she loved required.

To let go.

* * *

But Viren didn't come back that sunset. Opeli had waited, after she'd finished with the evening service. Honour's Hour passed, then Restraint's Hour.

Opeli shut her eyes for only a moment, she would swear. But she woke up sitting on the steps, with the sound of hoofbeats coming closer.

_There he is._

But...something was off. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

First things first.

But she was too tired to be angry just yet.

"Viren," she said, tiredly.

"Opeli," he replied. He sounded just as tired--and...something else, as well. "We need to talk."

She stood up. Radiance _burn_ this man.

"Oh, _now_ you want to talk," she snapped. "You committed treason, Viren. What's to talk about?"

Silence.

Quite a long silence, too.

Eventually he said, "Opeli, whatever comes next, there will be things that must be done. Things that I thought had to be done. But...I need to talk to you, first."

"We're talking now," she replied.

"No, I mean..." he hesitated. "I need to know something. Something important. _Have you read King Harrow's will yet_?"

"Well...no," she said, a little confused. "Seven days after the mourning period, you _know_ that."

"I need to see it," the Dark Mage said.

"Why, so you can tear it apart? Just like you broke the law when you used King Harrow's seal and declared yourself Regent of Katolis to the world?"

"I have to find out whether I _did_ break the law," he said, patiently.

What? Oh, _no_...

"Viren, you're missing the point! You _stole the King's Seal_. You _automatically_ broke the law! Even if you somehow managed, by sheer luck, to get yourself made Regent in Harrow's will, you didn't go through _any_ of the ceremonies that made your use of it justified. You'll be kicked off the Council for this! And you'll be lucky if that's all!"

"Opeli, if I'd stolen the King's Seal, called myself Regent, summoned the Pentarchy to war, and done all that _for nothing_ , then I'd have to worry," said Viren. "But I didn't. Which means either Katolis is about to go to war with Xadia, or with the rest of humanity."

 _What_.

The old fire burned up again. "You think you can _threaten_ me with this?"

"I think," said Viren, "that Katolis needs to take off its blindfold."

* * *

Because, reasonably speaking, four months wasn't entirely enough time to wipe away twenty-three years of friendship.

" _Until such time as Prince Callum should come of age,_ " Viren read aloud in the chapel, " _I nominate my...I nominate my wisest and most trusted friend, Lord Viren of the Seventh Path, to be Regent for my son, Ezran._ "

There was _no way_ he could have forgotten that. Despite their differences, he _must_ have seen the care that Harrow had for him in the later days. So why was there something that teetered on the edge of relief in his voice? Relief and...shock. Not surprise, _shock_.

"It's true," he said, quietly. "You _did_ mean it."

"What?" asked Opeli, confused.

"I mean..." Viren seemed like he was waking up for the first time. "Oh. Oh, no. Oh, Restraint hold me _back_ ," he swore.

"Viren?"

"The Princes!" he shouted. "They're _gone_! That Moonshadow elf took them! And nobody's been able to find them yet? The expedition didn't report back? Opeli, _please_ , tell me!"

"Viren, you were gone for all of a day and a half," said Opeli, gingerly removing her hands from his and feeling a bit spooked. "You _know_ Commander Gren hasn't reported back in yet."

Did the man just _wince_?

"Opeli," Viren whispered, hoarsely. "I _didn't think_."

She couldn't hold in her snort at that. "No, no you didn't."

"No, no, no, you don't understand," he said, urgently. "We have to find Ezran, and as fast as we can. He _needs to be here_."

"Glad you're finally seeing sense," snarked the High Priestess, "but do you honestly think _King_ Ezran is going to understand why you're bringing four armies into Katolis to usurp him?"

"I'll burn that bridge when I get to it," said Viren, patting his pockets hurriedly. "For now, I'll just have to see about finding them on my own."

"So, what, you're going to send a tracking spell after him?"

For a second she was rather worried that Viren was going to kiss her.

" _Yes_! That's perfect!"

And now he was running--but he'd stopped to nod at the statue of Freedom on the way out.

 _What_?

 _He's cracked_ , she thought. _He's gone completely mad_ _. And now the kingdom's in danger, and he's just confessed to putting it in danger--_

But he hadn't lied. Truth was one of those things that Opeli had a nebulous sense of around Viren, thanks to the Miasma. But there were other ways, she'd learned, to deal with people who projected an image, good or bad, and that was in watching their body language.

And Viren's had been more open than she'd seen him in years.

She shook her head. Open or not, chosen Regent or not, he'd literally just confessed to calling on the armies of the Pentarchy to unfairly influence the succession, to threatening Katolis with war if they didn't choose him to lead them into an even _bigger_ war.

She managed to pick up her skirts and run after the Dark Mage, along the passages lit by cloudy skies.

"Viren!" she called out.

He stopped, and turned. He was breathless, and nothing else.

"Don't think you can feel safe now," she said angrily as she caught up to him. "You're not above the law of the land, Viren!"

And he... _smiled_ at her. A genuine smile, like he used to give Harrow and Cordelia and Soren and Claudia--and her, once upon a time. With just a spark of something else.

"Not above the law," he said. "But I'm a mage, Opeli. And you're a priestess. We serve on the Council--"

 _"--for_ _now--_ "

"--and we help create laws for the king and queen, for the country, for _everyone living in it_. And if something needs keeping, we keep it, and if something needs changing, we change it. We _stand_ _beside_ the law. And defying the law without going about it the right way is just as bad as holding onto a law that only serves to _hurt_ the people."

"Viren, going behind everyone's backs to avoid a law is _never_ alright! There's a matter of principle here!" She prodded the mage in the shoulder. "You can't show that you want to keep the system safe if you don't listen to the people who work _within_ it." Mercy forgive her, but she was _enjoying_ this.

"And you _showed_ me that, Opeli," he said, earnestly as a schoolboy. "You could have told the council as soon as you saw the letters. You could have kept to your _idiotic_ plan to withhold from any decisions of government that the king could _easily_ reverse once he returns, should he command it--"

"Viren, reversing the decision to engage in a continent-wide war without major difficulties is a little beyond _anyone_."

" _But you waited_. You waited to see how I'd react, what I'd done. You waited and planned and thought about what it might mean for the kingdom. And you're angry at me now--"

" _Absolutely furious_ , do you have _any idea_ \--"

"But _you're still talking to me_!" This seemed to excite him most of all. "Because you've been _waiting_ for a chance to actually get me to listen, to make some concession to you to prove I'm still working for the good of Katolis." And then he seemed to deflate. "...how long have you been waiting for that?"

_She wasn't going to fall for this, she wasn't going to fall for this, she wasn't going to fall for this--_

"That's...not important," said Opeli, hoping it was her veil brushing against her cheeks that caused the tickling sensation.

"But this is." And Viren got down on one knee.

"...what."

"Opeli, do you Hear me?"

"I Hear you, and the ears of my body are the ears of Truth," she said, almost without thinking about it. Then she paused. "Wait, Viren--"

"Then I solemnly swear before Truth that _I will see King Ezran returned to this castle_ ," said Viren, firmly. His storm-grey eyes never left hers as he spoke. "And whatever comes from that, will come from that. If he orders me to turn the world upside-down and stop three armies in their tracks without killing a single human being, then I'll do it. If he lets me go forth and finally, _finally_ make things right again for our people, I will gladly do that. But before that, _any_ of that, I will do whatever I can to see him safely home again."

And _there_ was the old grin again. "I may lie sometimes, Opeli, but even Wisdom wouldn't condone lying before Truth."

And that's when it became crystal clear in Opeli's mind. Something was happening here, something new, and she wanted to be around to see it for herself. And, well, Katolis couldn't actually function without its king, and frankly nobody bothered coming to Chapel much these days...

"So you're going to track King Ezran and Prince Callum?" she said.

"Yes..." Why the hesitation? Viren, you idiot, what did you do?

"And ride out to claim your deliverance."

Viren snorted at that, still down on one knee. "Yes, Opeli, I'm going to claim my deliverance."

"Right. Good!" She looked around, a little flushed but determined. "Then where do we start?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On Religion: yes, there are twelve other Paragons besides Wisdom. I wasn't actually planning that to begin with, but hey, thirteen and seven both have religious connotations, good and bad, so it's not completely unreasonable. Opeli being a Priestess is drawn from a number of different places, although again I attribute the most to Spontaneite. (Talking of which, a new chapter of Peace Is a Journey is out, go check it out!)  
> On Law: the issue of Katolis being at a complete standstill while the heir to the throne is missing always bothered me. It's mitigated somewhat by the fact that it's probably not a good idea to declare war while you don't actually have a visible ruler on the throne, but it's still frustrating that they tried nothing more than a small rescue party (even smaller thanks to Viren, but frankly there should have been more than three people on that quest anyway). So introducing Harrow's will, containing emergency measures to be implemented only after a certain amount of time has passed (say, enough time for Viren to get himself an ear-worm and kill a number of soldiers sent to arrest him for treason) is a compromise of mine. (And seriously, what common-sense king wouldn't appoint a regent for a ten-year-old boy on the eve of their impending death?)  
> On Opeli: ...you know, I really wasn't expecting Viren to leave again. I certainly wasn't expecting Opeli to tag along. This is actually surprising even me at the moment.  
> Maybe that's a good thing...  
> Next up, Viren again--but after that, I'm thinking either Ezran or Claudia. What do you think?


	5. It Belongs to Human Nature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maybe Amaya kept this puppy around for entertainment value, then. Or perhaps because she liked lapping up the boy's adoration. She didn't need a voice, not really, even Viren could understand KSL and he wasn't even a native Katolitan, but he'd seen the emotion Gren always put in when he translated. The Commander became a completely different person--talking how he imagined the woman he admired would talk, trying to be more like her even when they were nothing alike. He'd be surprised if Amaya hadn't noticed it and was taking advantage of it for the look on people's faces. Or maybe she hadn't yet; she'd never really cared what anyone but her sister thought about her, never tried to find ways to work with people, just expected orders to be followed.  
> Not that this youngster would care about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I'm back! Exams were tricky this semester...

"Right. Good! Then where do we start?"

This was a problem, this was a _problem_...

The shock of seeing Harrow's testament was bad enough. The particularly awful realization that he was _very nearly_ in too deep wasn't any better. But Viren could deal with those. Finding creative solutions to problems was his _job_. All he needed was a bit of time to think, maybe collect some ingredients from his chambers, maybe even take a brief look inside his _private_ chambers.

He did _not_ need some meddling priestess getting involved in his journey.

_She wants to make sure,_ declared the unicorn (whom Viren had always found very cynical), _that you're going to do what you set out to do. So she's going to be close at hand. And if you kill her, then that just makes things more difficult for you._

_She's always been cautious like_ _that_ , said Harrow, proudly. _Never one to see a job left unfinished._

_I have one or two things that I_ might _need a bit of privacy for on the journey,_ snarked Viren.

_Things that you're trying to undo, Viren. Things that can't wait for the rest of the world to be patient while you repair your own damage. You need to get out and start_ moving _, Viren._

"Viren?"

Opeli's voice pulled him back sharply, away from Harrow. Sweet Mother Mercy, this woman was annoying.

Diversionary tactics? Worked well enough on Amaya...

"Opeli," he began, rising to his feet, "you are still needed here, to guide the council. _Katolis_ needs your acumen, while the princes are...not here."

Opeli smirked. "Nice try, Viren. But that little detail about the council not being able to do anything while the princes aren't here? That applies to me as well. It's time to change that."

"You haven't been five miles from the castle in six years," pointed out Viren. "It's a long trek."

"But I still ride out to the villages to take confessions--which you know I'm still capable of doing--and I keep in touch with my Fellows across Katolis, so if we need help we're more likely to get it. You've had a hard time getting the people to take you seriously lately."

_Annoyance. Insult,_ hissed the blue cobras. _Dinner?_

"There's absolutely no way you could stop me from leaving you behind."

"Maybe not." Now Opeli frowned. "But I can assure you that _if_ you don't take me along then I _will_ tell the council about your treason. And if you choose to resist then you _will_ be executed."

_Ah._

Let's see, his staff was here, Opeli was hardly combat-trained (but then neither was he), there was _still_ no-one else around--

_Viren,_ said Harrow sternly. _Killing won't solve anything._

_No, no, you're right. At least not here._ Inspiration struck. _But_ _out in the woods, where there's nobody watching and plenty of potential elven assassins..._

_Here's an idea,_ snarked Harrow, _how about you_ don't _do that and instead try to focus on the here and now?_

_She's just going to get in the way!_

_Like I did?_

She is not you _,_ snapped Viren. _She's only out to prove that_ she's _in the right, and to Xadia with what's important to anyone else._

_Then trust in_ me _._

Viren sighed.

"I need forty minutes to get together everything I'll need for our journey," he said. "May I be permitted that long?"

Opeli frowned again--she was wonderfully good at frowning, thought Viren uncharitably--but nodded.

"I'll be at the bottom of the stairs," she said. "Forty minutes, starting now. And don't be late."

Viren bit back a particular suggestion that might have been anatomically impossible, because politeness was important.

* * *

If there was a slight urgency in his step, Viren didn't think about it. Guards he could handle. _Opeli_ he could handle, or at least he could probably ditch somewhere. But for some reason the thought of setting out to find Ezran and Callum made him feel...excited?

Oh, sweet Mother Mercy, this was why you _avoided_ spells that affected sapient creatures, or kept your distance from thinking magical beings. Somebody else's will would always get involved, and that meant dealing with a whole lot of instincts that weren't actually yours. It was a mercy it didn't seem to work with elves, otherwise with all the time he'd spent with that assassin he'd have been all for...killing the king and the prince...

Down the stairs now, straight for one of the Special Rooms where he kept his old trekking gear. Hadn't been used in years, but he liked to have everything ready just in case.

"Welcome back! I hope you had a pleasant trip!"

...oh, right, that was the _next_ hardest part.

Do Unto Others was a key part of Mage custom. Sometimes that sentence ended as "as you would have them do unto you." Sometimes it ended " _before_ they do unto you." Sometimes it was just those three magic (hah) words. But when it came to hospitality it was _definitely_ the first variation.

So Gren had been put in chains, and fed just about everything needed to keep him healthy on enchanted plates. (Perhaps a lot of it was in the form of creatures that even Neolandians wouldn't eat, but what else were illusion spells for?) Relieving himself wasn't too much of a problem after Viren had slipped into his drink a Use-All potion intended for soldiers on the march. And a quick breeze spell left the air smelling fresh even if Gren himself was in dire need of a bath.

He had no right to be this happy, though.

"It had its ups and downs," said Viren, passing by him. "But I admit there were certain...complications."

"Oh, dear," said Gren, "I am sorry. Nothing too bad, I hope?"

The man _radiated_ innocence. But there was no way he was actually thinking that? At a time like this?

"Commander, a question, if you will. Just to satisfy my curiousity."

"Of course!"

"You have been chained to the wall of a dungeon."

"Uh, _you_ chained me to the wall of a dungeon. Well, Soren did."

"Yes. And you've been here for...how long now?"

"Well, it's a bit difficult to tell the time, now that you mention it."

"And yet you're about as cheerful as anyone I've ever seen, in spite of you being in chains. ... _how_?"

"Well," said Gren, shrugging, "I think about it like this. Why see myself as chained _down_ when I can be chained _up_?"

Sweet Mother Mercy, Claudia was _never_ going to be in the same room as this man again. He wouldn't have another day of peace in his life.

...this was going to be difficult. What angle would work best here? Harrow, any ideas?

The man was silent, curse him. This was not the time to play dead!

"Might I inquire if there is anything that might be done to make your stay more...comfortable?" he said. "I may need to be gone again for a while, it would be rude not to make any alterations before I go."

"I doubt you're going to let me out, so...probably not."

"Oh, on the contrary," said Viren, seeing the obvious way. "You've been down here for quite long enough. I think a change of scene would be appropriate."

His pocket, perhaps.

"No, no, it's quite alright!" said Gren. "You really needn't go to all that trouble. I'll be just fine down here."

"Listen," said Viren, holding his head in frustration. "Has it actually occurred to you that this imprisonment of yours is... _improper_?"

Gren shrugged. "I still don't see any point in being upset about it."

"Surely you don't believe General Amaya will feel the same when she finds out?"

" _If_ she finds out," replied Gren cheerfully. "A secret dungeon somewhere in an enormous castle with no way of getting to the window...it's very well hidden."

"And it leaves you completely at my mercy," said Viren, ominously.

"Yep!"

There was a pause while Viren and his personal menagerie worked this enthusiastic response out.

"You do realize that this doesn't actually _help_ you, right?" he managed at last.

Gren didn't say anything.

Maybe Amaya kept this puppy around for entertainment value, then. Or perhaps because she liked lapping up the boy's adoration. She didn't need a voice, not really, even Viren could understand KSL and he wasn't even a native Katolitan, but he'd seen the emotion Gren always put in when he translated. The Commander became a completely different person--talking how he imagined the woman he admired would talk, trying to be more like her even when they were nothing alike. He'd be surprised if Amaya hadn't noticed it and was taking advantage of it for the look on people's faces. Or maybe she hadn't yet; she'd never really cared what anyone but her sister thought about her, never tried to find ways to work with people, just expected orders to be followed.

Not that this youngster would care about that.

Pathetic, really. Not even worth the metal he had planned on coining the man in.

Viren scoffed, went to get his bag, briefly glanced at the mirror room, checked the powered newt eyes were still fresh, and went on his way.

He could feel Gren's eyes on him as he ascended the staircase. He did his best to ignore them.

* * *

"Thirty-five minutes fourteen seconds," announced Viren, walking down the stairs. There was Opeli, for once dressed in more sombre colours, with a pack on her back and a walking stick.

"Don't push it," she said. "Now, how did you intend to start?"

"Hmm," said the Dark Mage. "I thought I might...get on a horse?"

Opeli rolled her eyes. "And after that?"

"There's a decent tracking spell I can use," replied Viren, pulling out a compass and a pillowcase from his bag. "It won't target them directly, but it should lead me in the right direction."

"Lead _us_ in the right direction."

"Didn't I say that?" said Viren, knowing that he hadn't. "I drip some drool from Prince Ezran's pillow--don't look at me like that, it's not like he was sleeping on the bed when I got it--onto the compass and say the spell. And then we head where the compass points. We're three days' ride from the Breach along the Sunroad, maybe a day's hard ride."

"Then we should get ready to go," said the priestess.

_Off to find my_ _children._

Viren found himself worrying that he couldn't quite pinpoint whether that hopeful voice was his, or Harrow's.

Maybe it was better that it remain unclear.

Some distance away, a dragon was lying in the rain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Viren hasn't had a complete change of heart. It's unlikely he'd be willing to let Gren go just yet, especially as it might prove problematic in the long run. But where the old Viren might have, ahem, "coined" Gren eventually, this Viren doesn't quite have his heart set on it.  
> To quell some possible contention: Viren's opinions on Amaya are based on a very jaundiced view of the General, in large part derived from the animosity present in their interactions from the start. Whether or not there is any truth to them is a matter for the producers of the show to decide, I'm just writing a fanfic here...  
> As always, comments, compliments, and even (and especially) criticisms are very welcome!

**Author's Note:**

> An AU where Viren gets a grip and comes up with a Creative Solution to the problem of Aanya's refusal. Let the world tremble...


End file.
